The latest Nintendo Download update for North America has arrived, and it’s bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region.As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy!
Nintendo Switch retail
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes(Grasshopper Manufacture, Fri 18th January, $29.99) Several years after No More Heroes 2… This time, the setting is a small town in the middle of nowhere in the American South. Badman shows up at the trailer Travis has been living in to exact revenge for the murder of his daughter, Bad Girl, and things go horribly wrong. As they battle it out, the two are sucked into the game world of the legendary game console, the Death Drive MkⅡ. Read our Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes review.
The Raven Remastered(THQ Nordic, Tue 22nd January, $29.99) London, 1964. An ancient ruby is stolen from the British Museum. At the crime scene: a raven feather. Is somebody trying to follow in the footsteps of The Raven, the legendary master thief who disappeared years before?
Switch eShop
YIIK: A Postmodern RPG(Ackkstudios, Today, $19.99) After witnessing a woman vanish from an elevator, college graduate Alex embarks on an adventure to rescue her, which spirals into an epic quest with stakes higher than he could have ever imagined. Read our YIIK: A Postmodern RPG review.
ACA NEOGEO KIZUNA ENCOUNTER(HAMSTER, Thu 10th January, $7.99) “KIZUNA ENCOUNTER” is a fighting game released by SNK in 1996. Create a team of two fighters and use weapons and your fists to win in single-round sudden death tag-team matches! Experience the feel of an advanced battle system that pairs mid-battle character change-ups and easy commands leading to rush combos!
Apocalipsis Wormwood Edition(Klabater, Thu 10th January, $9.99) In Apocalipsis Wormwood Edition the static woodcuts from the Middle Ages start living their own life, but the medieval philosophy and occult symbolism go beyond the visuals and inspire the story itself. In this game, the music and the graphics work in perfect tandem to immerse you in this bizarre, dreary world.
At Sundown: Shots in the Dark(Versus Evil, Tue 22nd January, $19.99) At Sundown: Shots in the Dark is stealth driven, top-down multiplayer shooter in which up to 4 players compete in both online and local deathmatch.
Bash The Bear(FuryLion Group, Wed 16th January, $4.99) Lead the squad of hedgehog commandos in reclaiming the mushrooms stolen by the lazy bear from the forest animals. Work out a plan, put your prickly friends in place, and light the fuze! Teach the old rascal a lesson – show him who is the boss here!
Bedtime Blues(Forever Entertainment, Today, $9.99) Play as a youngling surviving through the night in the pixelated horror. Your once beloved teddy bear had come to life and became conscious. Wander around your bedroom, searching for clues to unravel the story – but keep a close eye on the room, as each hour it slowly changes. Listen close for when it comes, scare the teddy away with your flashlight, and don’t forget to check under the bed for monsters… Is this nightmare real? Is your bedtime over?
Big Crown: Showdown(Sold Out Sales & Marketing, Thu 10th January, $12.99) Big Crown: Showdown sees friends become foes as they compete for the crown in 4-player local and online multiplayer combat, set over 3 wacky worlds full of medieval shenanigans. Avoid perilous hazards and engage in frantic fights as you attempt to knock your opponents off 15 crazy courses in the ultimate royal battle!
Bubble Shooter DX(EntwicklerX, Thu 10th January, $2.99) Bubble Shooter Deluxe (DX) is a classic bubble shoot game. This addictive classic bubble blast match-three game comes with clean and modern graphics, hundreds of great challenging levels and some nice special items for a better game experience in harder levels.
Crazy Strike Bowling EX(Corecell Technology, Today, $9.99) Join Aiden, Mr. Jenkins and a host of other cute, fun-filled characters in Crazy Strike Bowling EX, a wacky bowling game fit for the whole family!
DYING: Reborn – Nintendo Switch Edition(Coconut Island Games, Today, $9.99,) DYING: Reborn – Nintendo Switch Edition is a highly unique first-person problem-solving puzzle game. In this special edition, we will be introducing you to a whole new story; every shred of paper, every nook and cranny, are scattered with fragments of the past.
Elli(BandanaKid, Thu 10th January, $19.99) A whimsical hand-crafted single-player adventure filled with a variety of puzzles and exciting platforming. Watch your step, there are many dangers to overcome! Discover a delightful world, inhabited by the playful and usually helpful Mandragora. Read our Elli review.
Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force(Ghostlight, Today, $39.99) Three stories, three paths in three branching stories, friends become foes, foes become friends, and based on your choices, multiple endings can be unlocked! Shape the World, customize weapons by fusing them with fairies and change dungeon stats through World Shaping.
Feudal Alloy(Attu Games, Today, $16.99) Explore an unusual medieval world with a fish-controlled robot, Attu. Improve your combat techniques and skills by smashing many kinds of mechanical creatures in a beautiful hand-drawn world.
Fight of Gods(Digital Crafter, Fri 18th January, $12.99) For the first time ever, gods, holy spirits and mythological characters from around the globe and throughout history will clash in an explosive 2D fighter where the entire world is at stake! Who will emerge victorious from the most destructive combat tournament the universe has ever witnessed?
Football Heroes Turbo(Run Games, Today, $14.99) Blast through the defense and go for the touchdown with uppercuts, tornado kicks, and thunder bombs! Jump into the arcade action in Season Mode and power up every pass, kick, and tackle. Take your team online against other players in real-time multiplayer. Battle your friends on the same screen or over Local Wireless to find out whose team reigns supreme.
Fragment of Marine(Mediascape, Fri 11th January, $4.99) Traverse circles in a mysterious ocean world, and search for your lost memories and your body! Checkpoints are spread out generously throughout the stages, so that even beginners can play the game, whereas special challenges like the Time Attack mode or clearing the whole game without dying ensure that also game veterans and achievement hunters have a good time.
FutureGrind(Milkbag Games, Tue 22nd January, $19.99) Grab your bike and hit the rails in FutureGrind, a stylish stunt-racer all about tricks, skill, and speed. Use your futuristic bike to chain together huge combos on tracks made of floating rails, but watch out: touch the wrong color and you’ll explode instantly!
Gunman Clive HD Collection(Hörberg Productions, Today, $3.99) In the year of 18XX, the west is overrun by thugs and outlaws. A group of bandits have kidnapped Mayor Johnson’s daughter and are spreading havoc across the land. Gunman Clive must rescue the girl and bring order to the west, then finish the fight in Gunman Clive 2.
Guns of Mercy(Storybird Games, Thu 10th January, $11.99) Guns of Mercy is a game combining shoot and arcade in retro 16bits spirit. 20XX, the Earth is a vast and hostile wasteland. The surface has been rendered uninhabitable since the great war against the alien invasion. To find peace, humanity has been reduced to living underground, but the enemy is getting there!
Holy Potatoes! We’re in Space?!(Rising Star Games, Today, $14.99) Space… the final french fried-tier! Set out on an intergalactic voyage of discovery, adventure and potato-based puns in Holy Potatoes! We’re In Space? ! , combining hard-boiled battles, mashed management and scalloped simulation into a dish that’s out of this world!
IHUGU(Arts Alliance, Mon 21st January, $3.99) The rules are refreshingly simple and designed to promote peace and positivity – hug everyone, but only once! This is a fun memory game where quick thinking and the ability to remember who you have hugged and who you haven’t are the keys to success.
Left-Right : The Mansion(Triple Boris, Today, $3.99) Left-Right: The Mansion is a little game about a boy, Billy, whose dog named Gigi ran away inside a big mansion. He must journey through this mysterious place, where he will have to find and remember the right path in order to find her.
Marble Power Blast(EntwicklerX, Thu 10th January, $2.99) Play Marble Power Blast, a Match-3 Bubble shooter game! Get beautiful HD backgrounds in 50 levels and 7 different locations/themes. Unlock the shuffle gaming mode and generate your own levels with random calculated difficulty, marble waves, length and number of colors.
Mars or Die!(34BigThings, Fri 18th January, $19.99) The Interplanetary Spacecraft FORTITVDO VIII carries our Intrepid Explorers who are tasked with Scouting the Martian soil, Fighting the disgusting Martian natives, and Building Defensible Outposts spearheading our inevitable conquest. Our Supremely Illuminated Leader has bestowed upon YOU the honor of commanding them: survive, gather, and build our way to victory!
Mecho Wars: Desert Ashes(Arcade Distillery, Thu 10th January, $7.99) In the aftermath of a great flood, a vengeful leader threatens to conquer the world with the aid of a once lost technology, and only a small but determined army stands in their path. Mecho Wars: Desert Ashes is the definitive release of the 2009 turn-based strategy classic, Mecho Wars.
Mega Mall Story(Kairosoft, Today, $12.00) Design a towering mall of mega proportions! Attract droves of customers and elevate yourself to 5-star status in this mall management simulation game! Add anything from fast food joints to sushi restaurants, stairs and elevators–even a heliport–all with a touch of the finger!
Neko Navy – Daydream Edition(Fruitbat Factory, Thu 10th January, $12.99) Flying cats versus 10,000 soothing characters! What awaits them beyond all those furious midair fights? Witness the world’s most shocking ending for yourself! Shoot, evade, and detonate Bombers! “Neko Navy” is an exhilarating horizontal scrolling shooter where you can shoot them up with easy controls.
Number Place 10000(Success, Thu 10th January, $5.89) The objective is to fill a 9×9 grid with numbers without repeating in all rows, columns and 3×3 squares. 10,000 questions in 4 levels of difficulty from Easy to Expert. Let’s choose a question that suits yourself, or challenge harder with others!
Octahedron: Transfixed Edition(Square Enix Collective, Today, $12.99) Surf through a pulsating underworld on platforms YOU pull from thin air, where and when you want, in this psychedelic action platformer. Unlock devastating abilities across 50+ handcrafted levels as you defy gravity to a pumping beat. Read our Octahedron: Transfixed Edition review.
Old School Racer 2(Riddlersoft Games, Fri 18th January, $7.99) Hey there all you dirt bike fans welcome to the world of Old School Racer, race through a 2D retro world, across 60 unique and amazing levels with twists and turns everywhere. We have a brand new mechanic added to the game… MORPHING! The world will literally morph at times creating extra paths, platforms, jumps and drops to help or possibly hinder your performance.
Rampage Knights(Rake in Grass, Today, $11.99) Rampage Knights is a cooperative beat ’em up game mixed up with randomized dungeon crawling and exploration which you can play alone or with a friend. You play as a hero trapped by a spell in a magical forest. All paths lead you to a nearby ruined castle, infested with goblins, skeletons and other foul creatures. Gear up with awesome and ridiculous weapons and spells and descend into the deep labyrinth below the ruin to face its sinister master!
Samsara: Deluxe Edition(Marker, Thu 10th January, $9.99) While playing in the park, Zee follows a squirrel through a portal to a world of echoes, inhabited by a shadow child. Surrounded by the unknown and trapped in a series of realms both confusing and dangerous, the youngsters must avoid slipping into the pool between dimensions, embarking on a voyage of discovery and awakening they share with the player, up and down staircases, through light and dark, across the upside-down and the right-side-up to their eventual freedom.
Spot The Differences: Party!(Sanuk Games, Today, $4.99) The most complete difference game on Nintendo Switch! Play solo or with up to 3 friends, and see who is the quickest spotter!
The Office Quest(11Sheep, Today, $11.99) Not all heroes wear capes…. some prefer fluffy onesies. The Office Quest is a point & click adventure for all you people who just cannot stay in the office any longer! Solve challenging puzzles and riddles Surprisingly handy objects + your beautiful sharp mind = a clear path towards freedom!
The Shrouded Isle(Kitfox Games, Today, $14.99) Who will you sacrifice, Your Excellency? Sinners in this isolated village try to hide their dark secrets, but heretics must be purged for your salvation.
Voxel Sword(SAT-BOX, Thu 10th January, $7.00) Voxel Sword is an easy to play action game, set in an adorable toy fantasy world, where you can wield various weapons to defeat monsters. This is our toy fantasy world, Voxel. Since ancient times, humans and monsters have worked together and coexisted in peace.
Nintendo eShop sales
Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
So that’s your lot for this week’s North American Nintendo Download. Go on, be a sport and drop a vote in the poll above, and comment below with your hot picks!
The latest Nintendo Download update for Europe has arrived, and it’s bringing new games galore to the eShop in your region.As always, be sure to drop a vote in our poll and comment down below with your potential picks for the week. Enjoy!
Switch Retail – New Releases
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes(Grasshopper Manufacture, €29.99 / £24.99) – Travis Touchdown wanders into the game world and embarks on a rampage of epic proportions in Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes for Nintendo Switch! Beam Katana in hand, slice and dice through a variety of game worlds, then square up to the boss at the end of each game! – Read our Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes review
Switch eShop – New Releases
Onimusha: Warlords(CAPCOM, €19.99 / £15.99) – This version features higher resolution graphics, 16:9 widescreen support and modernised control options which make it easier than ever to enjoy the sword-based combat that stunned players worldwide on its original release. – Read our Onimusha: Warlords review
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes (Bundle)(Grasshopper Manufacture, €39.98 / £33.98) – Travis Touchdown wanders into the game world and embarks on a rampage of epic proportions in Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes for Nintendo Switch! Beam Katana in hand, slice and dice through a variety of game worlds, then square up to the boss at the end of each game! Includes the season pass. – Read our Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes review
Dragon’s Lair Trilogy(Digital Leisure, €19.99 / £17.99) – In Dragon’s Lair, you play the heroic Dirk the Daring, a valiant knight on a quest to rescue the fair princess from the clutches of an evil dragon! Space Ace will have you take control of Ace – Defender of justice, truth, and the planet Earth! Ace is being attacked by the evil Commander Borf. Struggle with Dexter to regain his manhood. Destroy the Infanto-Ray. Defeat the evil Borf! Be valiant space warrior, the fate of Earth is in your hands!
Bash The Bear(FuryLion Group, €4.99 / £4.49) – Lead the squad of hedgehog commandos in reclaiming the mushrooms stolen by the lazy bear from the forest animals. Work out a plan, put your prickly friends in place, and light the fuze! Teach the old rascal a lesson – show him who is the boss here! Get ready to have real fun! Work out an elaborate attack plan, put your prickly friends in place, light the fuze – and let the explosive fun begin! Use powerful cannons, baseball bats, and everything else you have at hand to right the wrong in your own home.
Forever Forest(Fictive Studio, €14.99 / £13.49) – Forever Forest is a unique blend of exploration, survival, action and role-playing, condensed into simple and intuitive gameplay. Immerse yourself in beautiful colours and meditative melodies, while you explore a luscious, uncharted wilderness. Set forth on a journey to carry the last ray of light across stony deserts, treacherous swamps and poisonous lakes to illuminate a hidden world covered in darkness. Use your wits and skill to sustain yourself on colourful fruits and critters, hunt and be hunted by powerful beasts and permanently evolve by absorbing the abilities of your enemies into your mask.
Mars or Die!(34BigThings, €19.99 / £19.99) – The Interplanetary Spacecraft FORTITVDO VIII carries our Intrepid Explorers who are tasked with Scouting the Martian soil, Fighting the disgusting Martian natives, and Building Defensible Outposts spearheading our inevitable conquest. Our Supremely Illuminated Leader has bestowed upon YOU the honour of commanding them: survive, gather, and build our way to victory!
Planet RIX-13(Sometimes You, €4.99 / £4.49) – You are the pilot of a spacecraft that is looking for and exploring worlds that are potentially suitable for life. While scanning the next target, you lost control of your ship and had to make an emergency landing. It quickly becomes clear that you are not the first person on this planet…
Paladins Season Pass 2019(Hi-Rez Studios, €39.99 / £35.99) – Get exclusive content for every new Champion, all-year long, with the Paladins Season Pass 2019! You’ll instantly unlock three cosmetics you can only get in the Season Pass: The Limited Legionnaire Viktor skin, Legionnaire Warhorse Mount, and an Avatar. Plus, you’ll get 1500 Crystals to unlock the newest Battle Pass, a favourite Skin, or an Event bundle — the choice is yours!
Paladins Digital Deluxe Edition 2019(Hi-Rez Studios, €59.99 / £53.99) – The Paladins Digital Deluxe Edition 2019 includes the Champions Pack and the Season Pass 2019 at a saving over buying them separately.
ACA NEOGEO NINJA MASTER’S(HAMSTER, €6.99 / £6.29) – “NINJA MASTER’S” is a fighting game released by SNK in 1996. Set in the world of Zipangu, where twelve fierce warriors known for being demons on the battlefield, both with and without weapons, clash spectacularly in a flurry of amazing combos and special attacks. Don’t miss any of the action, from the Strength Gauge to increase damage to the Super Fired-up Mode that leads to flashy action-packed moves! – Read our ACA NEOGEO NINJA MASTER’S review
Bedtime Blues(Forever Entertainment, €9.99 / £8.99) – Play as a youngling surviving through the night in the pixelated horror. Your once beloved teddy bear had come to life and became conscious. Wander around your bedroom, searching for clues to unravel the story – but keep a close eye on the room, as each hour it slowly changes.
Build a Bridge!(BoomBit Games, €14.99 / £13.49) – Test your engineering and improvisation skills in a puzzle game where the stakes are as high as they get. It is you who will construct bridges for cars, trucks, busses… And sometimes even monster trucks. Gather your wits and get on with the construction! During the planning phase, the game presents itself with a simple, 2D interface. It is there that you select the best materials for your bridge to make the most resilient structure you can. You can approach each level as a complex puzzle, trying to be as efficient as possible and get the best solution. But don’t be afraid to experiment too.
Crazy Strike Bowling EX(CORECELL, €9.99 / £8.99) – Join Aiden, Mr. Jenkins and a host of other cute, fun-filled characters in Crazy Strike Bowling EX, a wacky bowling game fit for the whole family! Get a strike in new and distant bowling lands from the exotic forests of the Amazon to the pyramids of Egypt, battle your friends in exhibition or battle mode, or dodge obstacles in challenge mode! Go crazy and use your character’s special move to knock those bowling pins into oblivion while unlocking secret worlds and costumes! With level-ups, Crazy Strike Bowling EX is a strike for all ages!
DYING: Reborn – Nintendo Switch Edition(Coconut Island games, €8.39 / £7.59) – In this special edition, we will be introducing you to a whole new story; every shred of paper, every nook and cranny, are scattered with fragments of the past. Don’t miss out on a single detail and piece together a complete storyboard. Explore every corner of a storied hotel of blood and violence, solve layers of puzzles, and inch your way towards the chilling truth.
Fairy Fencer F Advent Dark Force(Ghostlight, €27.99 / £23.99) – Explore the magical world she lives in, feed pigeons, bond with the castle’s watchdog (a noble Pomeranian) and save the prince in this little adventure for fairytale enthusiasts of all ages! Enjoy a relatable and diverse mix of characters who prove that being beautiful is not about fulfilling common, unattainable ideals of beauty. In addition to the interactive story and its puzzles, some mini-games are also included and seamlessly incorporated into the narration.
Feudal Alloy(Attu Games, €14.99 / £13.49) – Explore an unusual medieval world with a fish-controlled robot, Attu. Improve your combat techniques and skills by smashing many kinds of mechanical creatures in a beautiful hand-drawn world. Attu is an ordinary farmer robot who lives in a small cottage in sunflower fields. He had been living a simple but pleasant life until a bunch of outlaws attacked the village, stole their oil supplies and burnt his house.
GetAmped Mobile(CyberStep, Free) – Take to the 3D stages, equip styles like Ninja, Superman, Esper and more. Combine weapons, styles and accessories in hundreds of ways to blow your opponent’s away! And with the “Skin” feature, customize your appearance however you want as you battle it out!
Holy Potatoes! We’re In Space?!(Rising Star Games, €13.99 / £11.69) – Space… the final french fried-tier! Set out on an intergalactic voyage of discovery, adventure and potato-based puns in Holy Potatoes! We’re In Space?!, combining hard-boiled battles, mashed management and scalloped simulation into a dish that’s out of this world!
Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Nitro Ball(FTE Games, €7.99 / £7.10) – Join the game show and blast your way through 5 intense levels gathering power-ups and special weapons, including a special superpower.
Mecho Wars: Desert Ashes(Arcade Distillery, €9.99 / £8.99) – In the aftermath of a great flood, a vengeful leader threatens to conquer the world with the aid of a once lost technology, and only a small but determined army stands in their path. Mecho Wars: Desert Ashes is the definitive release of the 2009 turn-based strategy classic, Mecho Wars. Fully remastered in high definition, it features new hand painted art, new visual effects, an expanded single-player campaign and six previously unreleased multiplayer maps.
Mega Mall Story(Kairosoft, €10.00 / £8.99) – Design a towering mall of mega proportions! Attract droves of customers and elevate yourself to 5-star status in this mall management simulation game! Add anything from fast food joints to sushi restaurants, stairs and elevators–even a heliport–all with a touch of the finger! When your establishment’s popularity reaches a certain point, a “Fever” is triggered in which customers swamp your mall!
My Exotic Farm 2018(Plug In Digital, €4.99 / £4.49) – At the beginning of the game, all you own is an empty field, a few pennies and a single little ostrich… You need to feed your ostrich, take care of it and improve its lifestyle. Well-fed with seed, your ostrich will lay eggs which can then be sold to the Shopkeeper. With this money, you can buy new animals at the Farmers’ Market.
Octahedron: Transfixed Edition(Square Enix Europe LTD, €9.74 / £7.49) – Surf through a pulsating underworld on platforms YOU pull from thin air, where and when you want, in this psychedelic action platformer. Unlock devastating abilities across 50+ handcrafted levels as you defy gravity to a pumping beat. Fry enemies with laser beams, crumble walls, and solve puzzles, while obstacles & enemies move along with the beat. – Read our Octahedron: Transfixed Edition review
Rampage Knights(Rake in Grass, €8.99 / £8.09) – Rampage Knights is a cooperative beat ’em up game mixed up with randomized dungeon crawling and exploration which you can play alone or with a friend. You play as a hero trapped by a spell in a magical forest. All paths lead you to a nearby ruined castle, infested with goblins, skeletons and other foul creatures. Gear up with awesome and ridiculous weapons and spells and descend into the deep labyrinth below the ruin to face its sinister master!
Solitaire Klondike BLACK(Sanuk Games, €3.56 / £3.21) – The classic single-player card game “Solitaire Klondike” arranged to Cool version! 300 questions in Stage Mode, and various problems are available in Random Mode !
Spot The Differences: Party!(Sanuk Games, €4.99 / £4.49) – Play solo or with up to 3 friends, and see who is the quickest spotter! Specs: – From 1 to 4 players. – 360 pictures, 3,600 differences to find! – Hints and extra times will help you when you are stuck.
The Office Quest(11Sheep, €10.19 / £9.34) – Not all heroes wear capes…. some prefer fluffy onesies. The Office Quest is a point & click adventure for all you people who just cannot stay in the office any longer! Solve challenging puzzles and riddles. Surprisingly handy objects + your beautiful sharp mind = a clear path towards freedom! Look for the red light and use everything you’ve got to make your way out of the grey abyss called the office…
The Shrouded Isle(Kitfox Games, €14.99 / £12.99) – As the high priest, uncover and purge heretics to prepare for the awakening of your beloved god beneath the waves. It is a mistake to assume danger only lies within your island – beware the seas that surround you. A mysterious spiritual contagion has washed upon the shores of your village and contaminated your citizenry. Lock the infected away in the purification tower and allow the holy salt water to wash away their sins, but know such treatment can have ill effects on the healthy…
YIIK: A Postmodern RPG(Ysbryd Games, €19.99 / £17.99) – After witnessing a woman vanish from an elevator, college graduate Alex embarks on an adventure to rescue her, which spirals into an epic quest with stakes higher than he could have ever imagined. Alex’s search for the woman and the truth behind her disappearance lead him and his companions towards the new millennium, on a journey rife with mystery and danger… or so goes the tale of YIIK: A Postmodern RPG, the surreal Japanese-style RPG from Ackk Studios and Ysbryd Games. – Read our YIIK: A Postmodern RPG review
Ancient Rush 2(Heideland GameWorks, €9.99 / £8.99) – Old Legends surround the long forgotten kingdom of Ozolan. They tell stories about Chulua, the former Ruler of Ozolan, who is said to have buried himself in his own treasury, only using his bare hands. But after Ozolans fall, no one ever heard of the kingdom or it’s king ever again. Only the legends survived the time and remained until today.
Cinderella – An Interactive Fairytale(Golden Orb, €4.99 / £4.39) – Explore the magical world she lives in, feed pigeons, bond with the castle’s watchdog (a noble Pomeranian) and save the prince in this little adventure for fairytale enthusiasts of all ages! Enjoy a relatable and diverse mix of characters who prove that being beautiful is not about fulfilling common, unattainable ideals of beauty. In addition to the interactive story and its puzzles, some mini-games are also included and seamlessly incorporated into the narration.
Fight of Gods(Digital Crafter, €11.29 / £11.29) – For the first time ever, gods, holy spirits and mythological characters from around the globe and throughout history will clash in an explosive 2D fighter where the entire world is at stake! Who will emerge victorious from the most destructive combat tournament the universe has ever witnessed?
Old School Racer 2(Riddlersoft Games, €6.49 / £5.99) – Hey there all you dirt bike fans welcome to the world of Old School Racer, race through a 2D retro world, across 60 unique and amazing levels with twists and turns everywhere. We have a brand new mechanic added to the game……MORPHING! The world will literally morph at times creating extra paths, platforms, jumps and drops to help or possibly hinder your performance. Gravity modifications once again returns, redefining what you will call the ground, soon you will be racing upside down, up sheer walls or flying through the sky.
Paladin(Pumpkin Games, €8.99 / £7.99) – Protect the cities, destroy the aliens and upgrade your fighter. Drive back the vile invading scum and save mankind in this frantic twin-stick shooter! You pilot a highly manoeuvrable space fighter across a 2d landscape, charged with saving the last remaining human cities from destruction.
UTOPIA 9 – A Volatile Vacation(QubicGames, €4.99 / £4.49) – Shoot your way through unexpected mutants in a deep rogue-like adventure, alone or with a friend. Are you in need of a vacation to remember? Utopia 9 guarantees sunshine, entertainment…and bloodthirsty mutants! You play as the most recent guest of this scam resort. Can you survive the onslaught and sue the travel agency?
Switch eShop – Demos
Drowning Demo(Sometimes You, Free) – Walk through a variety of beautiful low-poly environments as a story unfolds about how he learns to live with his inner demon. You will play in the eyes of a young boy starting out high school in year 7 and play through his following years, where he learns that living with depression is like living with someone trying to put you down all the time. Walk through all the beautiful environments with a lovely soundtrack that suits the current mood of the game, and find all the hidden endings.
Combat Core Demo(MABManZ, Free) – Combat Core is a 3D arena fighting game sporting a colourful mix of modern aesthetics and futuristic cyberpunk. Fighters from across the galaxy have gathered to compete in the Combat Core League! The fighting mechanics focus on fast-paced combat, strategic use of your environment, and weapons in the arena. Fight against challenging AI or your friends, online or offline!
Piczle Colors Demo(Rainy Frog, Free) – Use the numbers around the side of the puzzle to work out how many blocks of which colour should be painted in each row and column. Since the order of the numbers doesn’t determine the order you need to paint the colours you’ll need to stretch your brain to figure it out. Luckily there are two types of numbers that indicate if the colours should be painted together or separately.
Cinderella – An Interactive Fairytale(Golden Orb, Free) – Explore the magical world she lives in, feed pigeons, bond with the castle’s watchdog (a noble Pomeranian) and save the prince in this little adventure for fairytale enthusiasts of all ages! Enjoy a relatable and diverse mix of characters who prove that being beautiful is not about fulfilling common, unattainable ideals of beauty. In addition to the interactive story and its puzzles, some mini-games are also included and seamlessly incorporated into the narration.
Shift Happens Demo(Daedalic GmbH, Free) – The two jello jelly creatures Bismo and Plom got connected in a tragic yet funny accident and thus can exchange their size and abilities at will. Welcome to the world of Shift Happens – the only game out there which doesn’t take a closer look at the body mass index and where players are actually forced to work together (and occasionally stab each other in the back).
Wii U eShop – New Releases
El Silla – Arcade Edition(MarkAnime.net, €1.00 / £1.00) – Help El Silla to hit with the chair to every character that he encounters, And thanks to the advanced technology of the Wii U you will be able to feel that you have a chair in your hands, go player, throw this chair to everyone ! There also hidden achievements, be ready to unlock them and try to get maximum score possible.
Switch eShop – Pre-Orders
#KILLALLZOMBIES(Beatshapers, €13.99 / £12.59, pre-order from 15/01/2019) – In the distant future, #killallzombies is thrusting civilians into a sport of survival where a ravenous zombie population is unleashed in the name of sports entertainment.
99Moves(EnjoyUp Games, €2.99 / £2.69, pre-order from 15/01/2019) – 99Moves, a retro arcade game where you will have to survive with just 99 Movements. Without a heading in the galaxy, all was lost because your energy was about to run out… gravity would chart the course of your destiny… Suddenly, V-99 entered a zone called Shaders, which provided energy… It was a new opportunity to survive. However, it was not all good news, as you only have 99 energy pulses to move through the Shaders zone.
Mages of Mystralia(Borealys Games, €17.99 / £16.19, pre-order from 15/01/2019) – In the kingdom of Mystralia, it takes more brains than brawn to succeed. You will face down giant, powerful creatures and navigate treacherous terrain. You will encounter puzzles that confound even the wisest of the old sages. And you must overcome obstacles put in place by people who do not want you to succeed.
Drowning(Sometimes You, €2.54 / £2.28, pre-order from 16/01/2019) – Walk through a variety of beautiful low-poly environments as a story unfolds about how he learns to live with his inner demon. You will play in the eyes of a young boy starting out high school in year 7 and play through his following years, where he learns that living with depression is like living with someone trying to put you down all the time. Walk through all the beautiful environments with a lovely soundtrack that suits the current mood of the game, and find all the hidden endings.
Inops(ZRZStudio, €9,99 / £9.99, pre-order from 16/01/2019) – Explore the shadowy Mine, twisty Jungle and extra-terrestrial Elect-City but be careful of lurking dangers. Escape traps, solve puzzles and dodge enemies using the Inops ability to split into many little creatures or join into one big Inop whenever you wish. Use the environment to your advantage by using unique intractable components whilst guiding the Inops simultaneously. Get to the end of each level and save as many Inops as you can to avoid being lonesome.
Dragon Marked for Death: Frontline Fighters(Inti Creates, €14.99 / £13.49, pre-order from 17/01/2019) – Dragon Marked For Death is a side-scrolling 2D action RPG that can be played solo or with up to four players in local or online multiplayer. The playable characters in Dragon Marked for Death: Advanced Attackers are the Shinobi and Witch. You play as the survivors of the Dragonblood Clan who set out to take revenge on the Kingdom of Medius, who destroyed their home and captured the Dragonblood Oracle, Amica. To obtain the power they need to enact their revenge, they forge a pact with the Astral Dragon Atruum. Pre-order includes the DLC Equipment: Striker Gear
Dragon Marked for Death: Advanced Attackers(Inti Creates, €14.99 / £13.49, pre-order from 17/01/2019) – (see above)
Airheart – Tales of broken Wings(Blindflug Studios, €14.99 / £11.99, pre-order from 17/01/2019) – Airheart is a dieselpunk airplane action game, where every colourful level is built on top of the previous one, all the way up to the stratosphere. Welcome to Granaria, a flying city in the clouds. Meet Amelia – a young pilot and fisherwoman wishing to reach the abundant world’s edge. Sky fishing became a really dangerous job, with pirates roaming around everywhere. So start your engines, arm your airplane and get ready to make the catch of a lifetime!
Asdivine Hearts II(KEMCO, €12.99 / £11.69, pre-order from 17/01/2019) – Picking up two years after the events of their first adventure, Zack and friends find themselves off on another quest, but this time to save the parallel world of Archelio, which is on the verge of being frozen in ice. With a convenient summary of the previous title included, players can jump right into Asdivine Hearts II without having played the first
Cursed Castilla(Abylight, €12.59 / £11.33, pre-order from 17/01/2019) – The tears of a young witch have been turned into a key by a demon to open a gateway to hell. In Cursed Castilla, one takes the role of Don Ramiro, a knight appointed by King Alphonse VI, to fight and banish the evil invading the lands of Tolomera.
JackQuest: The Tale of the Sword(Blowfish Studios, €9.99 / £8.99, pre-order from 17/01/2019) – One fateful night, when young Jack takes the beautiful Nara for a walk in the woods, his love is kidnapped by the villainous orc Korg. Forced to mount a rescue, Jack plunges into Korg’s underground base, where he happens upon a strange blade that becomes an unlikely ally. In JackQuest, players will explore the cavernous depths of Korg’s slime-ridden, labyrinthine lair. There, they will solve environmental puzzles, discover power-ups, collect weapons, and challenge subterranean foes, including massive bosses.
Johnny Turbos Arcade Joe and Mac Caveman Ninja(FTE Games, €7.99 / £7.07, pre-order from 17/01/2019) – Grab your club and get ready to go on a wild, prehistoric adventure with the Cavemen Ninjas – Joe & Mac! Help Joe and Mac, two cavemen who fight against enemy cavemen and dinosaurs using prehistoric weapons.
My Arctic Farm 2018(Plug In Digital, €4.99 / £4.49, pre-order from 17/01/2019) – At the beginning of the game, all you own is an empty field, a few pennies and a single little penguin… You need to feed your penguin, take care of it and improve its lifestyle. Well fed with fishes, your penguin will lay eggs which can then be sold to the Shopkeeper. With this money, you can buy new animals at the Farmers’ Market.
Pikuniku(Devolver Digital, €11.69 / £10.52, pre-order from 17/01/2019) – Pikuniku is an absurdly wonderful puzzle-exploration game that takes place in a strange but playful world where not everything is as happy as it seems. Help peculiar characters overcome struggles, uncover a deep state conspiracy, and start a fun little revolution in this delightful dystopian adventure!
Zombie Night Terror(Plug In Digital, €14.99 / £13.49, pre-order from 17/01/2019) – Prepare yourself for the most thrilling night of your life! Something strange has happened and people everywhere are turning into bloodthirsty walking corpses. But guess who’s the brains behind this hungry undead army? YOU! So spread this pandemic to wipe humanity of this planet. Because the only way to survive the zombie apocalypse is to BE the apocalypse!
Switch eShop – Special Offers
Game Title
Price
Saving
Until
Original Price
Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum’n’Fun! – Song “Zassou”(Bandai Namco Entertainment)
Free
–
Thu 31st Jan
€1.49 / £1.19
Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum’n’Fun! – Hikakin Pack(Bandai Namco Entertainment)
On 31st January, all online services for the Wii including all functions associated with the Wii Shop Channel will be closed down. That means you have exactly two weeks to get all of your Wii-based affairs in order.
Of course, Nintendo has now released two new home consoles since the hugely popular Wii first launched back in 2006, so even if you’ve missed this news in the past, we imagine this won’t come as too much of a shock. Indeed, just a couple of months ago, it was also confirmed that all video streaming services will be suspended – so no more Netflix on your Wii, folks.
So what does this all mean for you? Well, it might be a good idea to set aside a couple of hours over the next two weeks to boot up the good ol’ Wii, checking to see if there’s anything you need to sort.
Redownload your games
The first thing we’d recommend you do is to check to see if you have any purchased games not currently downloaded to the console. Simply go to the Wii Shop Channel and click on ‘Titles You’ve Downloaded’; after 31st January, you’ll no longer be able to redownload any games you had previously deleted. If you’re desperate for space, consider deleting any video streaming apps like Netflix – as we said, they’ll soon be useless anyway.
Spend your Wii Points
The second thing we’d recommend ties in nicely to the first point: make sure to spend any remaining Wii Points. If you happen to have any of the Wii’s virtual currency just sitting there in your online account, treat yourself! The money will disappear in two weeks, so why not get yourself a game or two?
Transfer everything to your Wii U
Finally, you could also consider transferring all of your digital games to your Wii U, especially if you still keep your Wii U on display or under your TV. Nintendo has provided a full guide to this process, which you can find right here.
Do you still play on your Wii to this day? Do you have any fond memories or experiences of with the console? Tell us below in the comments.
Publisher Soedesco has revealed that its upcoming racing game Xenon Racer will be speeding onto Switch on 26th March. A new trailer has been released to celebrate.
The game takes place in the near future, where an official racing federation has allowed teams to transition from the cars we know today to flying vehicles. You’ll be putting the pedal to the metal in a championship, with your advanced cars driving at “crazy speeds”, drifting and boosting your way to victory. Obvious comparisons can be drawn to the likes of F-Zero, Wipeout, and Fast RMX on Switch.
Here’s a feature list to give you a little more info:
Features – Race at top speeds in electric vehicles boosted by Xenon gas – Drift through the streets of cities like Tokyo and Dubai in 2030 – Triumph in singleplayer, split-screen & online multiplayer championships – Customize your car with tons of parts to create the ultimate racing vehicle
At the time of writing, Soedesco is streaming the game on its Twitch channel to celebrate the release date announcement. You can head to the channel here to give that a watch.
Do you love futuristic racers? Will you be getting behind the wheel in this one? Tell us below.
Put down your trusty Nintendo Switch for just a moment, folks; the Wii U’s getting a new game tomorrow and it looks fittingly bonkers.
Meet El Silla – Arcade Edition, an arcade game where your one and only task is to whack everyone in the head with a chair. It really is as simple as that; players need to help the titular El Silla hit each new character he encounters with a chair to progress.
The original game is actually available for free on smartphones and PC, but this Arcade Edition includes new levels, an achievement system, and uses the Wii U Gamepad’s motion controls for a realistic chair-whacking feel. The Wii U’s tech is finally being utilised exactly how we dreamt it would.
You can see how it all works in this gameplay demonstration video below.
If you’re interested, you can pick the game up starting from tomorrow for just £1 / 1€ from the Wii U eShop (a North American release hasn’t been confirmed).
As ever, let us know what you think about this one in the comments. Will you be giving it a go?
We still don’t have an exact release date for this one just yet, but it has already been confirmed that upcoming title Trüberbrook will come with a proper game manual in the box (and we’re not talking just a single-sided controller input sheet, either).
Publisher Headup Games has noted that development on the game is continuing at a steady pace in a press release today, releasing images of its physical editions on both Switch and PS4 in the process. We’ve included those images for you below; the manual (actually described as a travel guide) contains 24 pages with the following tucked inside:
An overview for the resort town plus a small map chartering the area
Interesting places, as well as tips for accommodation
Who is who: Introducing Trüberbrook’s unique villagers
Just last week, we shared a list of Headup Games titles on the way to Switch this year, along with a trailer for Trüberbrook. If you’re unfamiliar with the game, we’ve shared it again for you below.
Do you miss game manuals like this? Would little extras like this make you choose physical over digital? Share your thoughts with us down below in the comments.
With Mario & Luigi:Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey having released recently on the 3DS, we felt it was high time for a closer look at the now decade-old DS classic. We were lucky enough to get the chance to sit down with the teams from Nintendo and AlphaDream to discuss what it’s like remaking a beloved game, designing a beloved character’s guts, some unused concepts for the original DS version and a thing or two that’s been forgotten over the years.
Nintendo Life: In Bowser’s Inside Story, a huge part of the game takes place inside Bowser’s body. What was the inspiration for using Bowser as the setting for the game?
Shinsuke Kobayashi: At first we had an idea to create a game using Mario, Luigi and Bowser as the playable characters, but the idea of having all three of them cooperate sounded a bit strange. In addition to that, if Mario and Luigi entered into Bowser’s body there wouldn’t have to be any reason for them to meet. And also, having Mario and Luigi travel through Bowser’s body and touch various parts of the inside of Bowser’s body would create effects in the outside world, which felt like a really good way to use the dual screens of the DS at the time.
What was it like having to design Bowser’s insides?
Kouichi Fukazawa: This is how we approached designing Bowser’s insides: we wanted it to be a thorough design of the insides, but not be too disgusting. But since this is in the Mario universe, we wanted it to be interesting to explore as well. These things, of course, inspired how we approached the remake as well.
It’s hard to believe, but Bowser’s Inside Story released just under a decade ago. The remake now has a lot of new content and completely new art. Was this the art style you originally wanted to use for the game, or is it something new that you thought of after development began?
Yoshihiko Maekawa: For this game as well as the original game, the approach was to basically draw what the system was capable of doing, so that was the same for this game as well.
This new version also includes a new side story, Bowser Jr.’s Journey. For those that don’t know about it, can you describe it?
Akiko Suigmoto: It’s a specific mode that takes the systems from the minion mode in Superstar Saga but expands on that to show Bowser Jr. going on a voyage where he collects comrades to participate in battle and it shows the character growth arc for Bowser Jr., and how his personality changes.
This is an explanation for the brawl mode. It’s a mode where you gather together a bunch of characters, and the formation is really important because the gameplay is conducted automatically. You have to think about the formulation of your characters, which we think people will really enjoy.
Additionally, this adds in a sub-leader system. Bowser Jr. is the main character of the game, so sub-leaders can be members of the Koopalings or Kamek. This allows us to factor them into the game and results in a story that’s really appropriate for Bowser Jr.
In Bowser Jr.’s Journey, he meets the original Koopalings from Super Mario Bros. 3. What’s Bowser Jr.’s relationship with them?
Akira Otani: As far as the Mario & Luigi series goes, it really is in Paper Jam that the Koopalings became more featured. The character setting for Koopalings is that they aren’t Bowser’s children, they just work for him! That’s the same for Bowser Jr.’s Journey, but the Koopalings have to take care of Bowser Jr. because he’s the boss’ kid.
The Mario & Luigi RPG Series is known for putting the brothers in strange settings, like inside dreams, travelling through time or – in the case of this game – inside the series’ main villain. Where would you like to see them go next?
Maekawa: With the first title in the series, they were in the Beanbean Kingdom, and with the second game they weren’t really going to a new place, but what we’d love to preserve is giving the player a sense of adventure, and that’s what we kept in mind when making new titles. If we made a new game we’d love to preserve that for the player.
Otani: Mario has so many different games, but particularly in the Mario & Luigi setting, we are aiming at setting up our own world. In other words, we’d love for Mario to do the things he wouldn’t do in other series. So that’s how we chose these interesting settings.
Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga featured cameos from other Nintendo characters that didn’t make it into the final game. Could you tell us why these cameos were removed?
Maekawa: I really don’t remember that at all!
Given the opportunity, would you like to a see a new entry in the Mario & Luigi RPG series on the Switch?
Otani: Nothing has been planned.
Was the Bowser’s Inside Story remake being worked on while SuperStar Saga was in development?
Sugimoto: We began development on this after we completely finished the Superstar Saga remake. In creating the extra mode in this game we looked at things we wanted to do in Minion mode, but couldn’t.
How does it feel to come back to Bowser’s Inside Story after 10 years?
Kobayashi: In going back to the original game, there were some places when I was playing the original game where I thought, “Oh man, this is really tough to play.” So we approached the remake trying to fix some of those areas. But since this game is the best-received in the series among fans, we wanted to preserve some of the good memories that the fans had about the game. So, we didn’t want to do too much about changing the game. That’s the feeling we had while working on the game.
Did you feel any additional pressure given the game’s popularity?
Kobayashi: Nope! [laughs]
Where did the idea to have Bowser eat a Vacuum Shroom come from?
Maekawa: There are many different kinds of mushrooms, such as poison mushrooms, that exist in the Mario universe. In the 2D Mario games, it’s a symbol for growing big, and it has magical properties. So, taking that magical quality, we decided to use it as a magical means to impart Bowser with this ability to suck up Mario & Luigi and make them smaller.
Where did the idea to make enemies fat come from?
Maekawa: At the time, in terms of the concept for both the gameplay and scenario, we wanted to think of something that had dynamism to it, and health struck us. In Japanese, Blorbs are called Metakoro. There was this idea of maybe having Bowser eat too much and get fat. But the idea of the blorbs has to do with health. And the dynamism has to deal with the gameplay element. The theme of health has to do with the story element.
What would a game where Bowser was fat have looked like?
Maekawa: In terms of the idea of Bowser getting fat, and this applies to the blorbs as well. This is also, it also can be seen in one of the brothers’ attacks, where Luigi gets fat. On the whole, the whole concept came from the idea of your attitude towards food and health, and that’s where we received our inspiration from.
Otani: For this Mario & Luigi series, we really wanted to focus on doing something different from the original Mario series. Some of that means some of the characters familiar from the original series might get big and fat and round, but they’re still cute and loveable. We wanted to show that the characters can change shape in a way that they wouldn’t in the original series.
Kobayashi: The theme of health can be seen in a lot of other places in the game. There are some characters doing Yoga poses and there are some fat goombas that are afflicted with the Blorbs. There’s also another character that’s a swamp with a cold.
Were there any other ideas?
Maekawa: I’m really sorry to say this, but I completely forgot!
Otani: Just like any game, we went through many many ideas to get to the final concept.
Are you working on your next project, or is that undecided?
Maekawa: I remembered something from your previous question! When we were drafting concepts for the original game, we used clay. That’s something we wanted to do. The art using clay is actually still on our internal site!
Otani: Please don’t think that’s the answer to this question! We’re not working on that! (laughs)
Maekawa: I can only answer the first question of the two. We didn’t decide to make the whole game in clay. We were essentially just making models of clay and using that to create all the characters in the game. Through doing that we discovered it was too time-consuming to do it that way.
Otani: Since then there have been other titles using clay art, so there’s something that these ideas must come out organically.
We’d like to thank the teams at Alphadream and Nintendo for their time and for chatting with us. Do you hope we get a claymation-style Mario & Luigi RPG title? Are you planning to make some fat Bowser fan art? Let us know which alternate universe version of Bowser’s Inside Story you’d want in the comments below.
It’s been a long time coming, but we’re delighted to share the fact that you can now finally make your house smell like Sonic the Hedgehog‘s famous Green Hill Zone, and it’s all thanks to this official candle set. You wanted that, right?
Based on the classic item box from the original game, this candle holder comes with a “Green Hill Zone-scented candle”. Interestingly, the listing doesn’t specify exactly how that smells – we can only assume wet grass and sweaty hedgehogs? – but the candle holder does feature several designs on each side which would look great on any mantelpiece.
The candle holder is available now from the official Sega Shop in the UK and Europe and comes from Numskull Designs. You can take a good look at it in the video below (and we’ve included some product info for you just below, too).
– Official SEGA Product – Designed by Numskull -Includes 1x candle holder modelled after the classic Item Box and 1x scented candle reminiscent of the Green Hill Zone – Holder approximately 14cm (h) x 12cm (w) x 12cm (d)
The product listing tells you to “take home a piece of Sonic the Hedgehog history” and, if you’d like to do just that, you can buy your very own here for £30 / 34€ depending on your location.
Are you a fan of the blue blur? Will you be treating yourself to one of these for your home? Let us know below (and please let us know what Green Hill Zone smells like if you get one).
Tower defence-strategy title Defense Grid 2 launches on Nintendo Switch early next month, it has been confirmed.
This new edition of the game (it originally launched on other platforms back in 2014) combines the base game with the five-mission expansion ‘DG2: Aftermath’ which was previously only available in VR. You’ll therefore have dozens of maps and hundreds of tower defence missions to complete while simultaneously going for top spot on the leaderboards.
The game is said to feature “an expansive story filled with colourful personalities and a wide variety of challenges suited for beginners and pros alike”. The Switch version makes use of the console’s split Joy-Con nicely by allowing players to team up, one controller each; you can always play the entire campaign on your own if you prefer, though.
Defense Grid 2 arrives on Switch on 7th February; pre-orders start from 25th January. If you do decide to pre-order, you’ll be able to secure 10% off the $19.99 retail price.
Does this one look like your kind of thing? Will you be teaming up with a friend or going solo? Let us know in the comments.
People have been waiting years for YIIK: A Postmodern RPG’s release. The game’s been in development since 2014, and you can go read interviews floating around from 2015 onward for more background on its journey. Finally, the big day is here… but can it live up to nearly a half-decade of anticipation? Before we begin, rest assured, this will be a minimal-spoiler review.
YIIK (that’s pronounced “why two kay,” as in Y2K), at its base, is a 3D indie RPG. There are turn-based battles, an overworld with random encounters, dungeons with puzzles to solve, and plenty of memorable NPCs. Beneath these simple genre trappings, however, is a game that defies summary.
Meet Alex, the primary player-protagonist, who comes home to the town of Frankton from an unnamed American college one summer day. Alex is the beating heart of the narrative drive. He also wears a red plaid shirt, big dark-framed glasses, a fuzzy beard and a full salvo of orange hair.
Yes, Alex is a hipster. He listens to vinyl records by obscure artists and speaks fondly of classic video games. He has also grown accustomed to a somewhat upper-class lifestyle. Alex’s status as a privileged (but otherwise unexceptional) white boy forms the plot’s subtext; or, at least, receives some story treatment. The point is, this “Postmodern RPG” is nothing if not self-aware.
YIIK is wagering on something here: there’s probably a ton of people out there who can relate to Alex in varying degrees. He is intelligent but lacks ambition. After earning a degree, he’s struggling to achieve the measure of success his parents have attained. He enjoys hanging out with friends but falls short when it comes to forming meaningful relationships. He is lonely. He would rather stay in bed today.
The plot takes place in the year 1999, and at times Alex can be found browsing a weird internet forum. How many of us were doing the same at one time, discovering the World Wide Web and poking around in its strange corners? YIIK places a bet on this nostalgia, and at times it really lands well. For those who ever felt ‘adrift’ at this point in their life, and perhaps found a little solace in odd BBS forums, the whole journey will land even more poignantly.
And, oh boy, what a journey it is. Once Alex is back in town, he renews contact with Michael, an old neighbourhood friend who had moved away years prior. Then, you eventually see a loose cat, and pursue it into the woods, and then to an old factory. There, Alex meets a young woman named Sammy, who is suddenly torn out of reality by interdimensional beings of unknown origin. Alex is powerless to prevent this, and his anguish over the event begins turning the wheels of the entire storyline.
It’s a lot to take in, and only the beginning of a breathtaking spiral of strangeness. This is a game where Weird Stuff Happens, and much of its appeal is going to hinge on whether you have an appetite for a continual serving of more Weird Stuff at every turn. YIIK is absolutely gunning for the Weird Stuff throne, full tilt, and truly swings for the fences in that regard. You want surreal visuals and utterly unconventional quest chapters? Search no more, for you have found your huckleberry.
Oh, right: beneath its splashes of stylish colouring and deep dives into the bizarre, there’s a video game! Alex really wants to save this girl, even if figuring out how to do so will get pretty tricky. He, along with a growing and rotating cast of support characters, will embark all over the landscape to visit different towns and caves and dungeons to find his way.
Combat is a highlight. Enemies present a healthy challenge, along with designs ranging from insipid (a piece of poo) to inspired (Sheep Man is a woolly wonder, he’s the best). Your characters can use healing items, attempt to run and so on, but the attacks are the real hook here, of course.
Each character has their own standard attack that relies on button-press timing. You may be holding down your analog stick and trying to release it at a certain time, or pressing different face buttons to match the swings of a hula hoop. Records will spin and obey your commands to drop the needle, swords might lash out at all enemies rather than just one – it’s a turn-based party, and you’re invited.
Each character also has their own skills. These vary wildly, with each character serving a very distinctive niche, from healing to adopting “stances” to change their fighting style to the one-of-a-kind ability to “banish” certain enemy types. Like fellow indie RPG darling Undertale, YIIK dares to ask, “How does a pacifist character work in battle?” Some of the skill attacks are performed by mastering 16-bit pixel microgames, which are just adorable. Much like the regular attacks, these will be a test of reaction timing and focus.
But nimble fingers won’t win the day by themselves. The dungeons in this game pose some real lateral-thinking challenges. As Alex and friends embark to locales spanning from a mountainside cave to… like, spaces within the mind-consciousness or whatever, players will quickly realize that conventional tactics may not suffice. There is definitely in-game logic going on, as it’s all never truly random or unfair, but this is the kind of game where, once or twice, you may turn your Switch off in frustration and have to sleep on it before you realise what you need to do in order to progress. At least, that was our experience.
You probably won’t mind too much, though, because the ride is a thrill. The increasing surreality of the story, along with the steady level-up progression, on top of the eye-kissing artwork, all blend together in a pleasant dish for gamers and compel you to keep moving forward. You can have a lot of fun just spotting different gaming references and detecting classic influences. Beyond that, without saying too much, just trust us when we say that this game really takes some imaginative leaps.
The music is a ride all of its own, sporting different collaborations on the soundtrack that lend to an eclectic flavour. Peppy horns will give way to eerie keyboards, only to be supplanted by an orchestral arrangement, only to be overtaken by a wave of sudden vocals and electric guitar. It’s all a little odd but the quality itself is never in question.
If you were looking for a concern, let’s have a word about pacing. How do you feel about dialogue? YIIK has loads of it. Trainloads and boatloads and bathtubs full of the stuff. If you’re into that sort of thing, it’s great; which is the kind of statement that sounds obvious but still bears mentioning.
The characters that form your adventuring party are going to have lots of conversations, some of them lengthy and many of them without any bearing on the plot. They are going to tackle topics ranging from the existence of God to the death of a family member, but also favourite anime and SNES RPGs. At its core, YIIK operates on the same frequency as a cross-country road trip with a few close friends. If that sort of tone resonates with you, you’re in for a treat of characterisations. Otherwise, you may feel stuck waiting for something to happen as the cast launches into another pseudo-philosophical conversation on the nature of the soul.
The level-up system, however, might be the low point. Levelling in YIIK does not happen naturally as characters gain EXP. In order to advance their stats, you have to enter Alex’s Mind Dungeon (ahem). There, Alex will walk into various doorways and stairwells in order to make his manual selections as to which of his stats to increase. It’s as tedious as it sounds, and although there is some more Weird Stuff that pops up in these sections, it’s ultimately not worth the added tedium, especially since some other game elements like certain attacks have already taken a slower approach. It’s hard to imagine why simply selecting stat increases from a menu would not have been an improvement.
Other than these hiccups, the game flows like a dream – quite literally, in some moments. YIIK captures a certain slice of Americana, when end-of-the-world hysteria was peaking but before everyone had a Twitter account. Not every beat works perfectly (the NPC kid who says they hope their mother marries her new boyfriend because he “doesn’t hit me as hard” as their dad is rather uncomfortable, to say the least), but if you’re willing to “buy in” on the experience a bit and let yourself be swept into the motif of late-night internet sleuths ignoring real-world woes by diving headlong into the paranormal, you might be in for something special.
